Tag Archives: Review

Fantastic four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Posted by Tcio123 on 24/01/2013 – 5:33 pm
Filed under General, Multi Platform, Xbox 360
Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

Published by Take 2 Interactive on 15 June 2007
Developed by Visual Concepts
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action

 

Right, so for my very first review on this site I shall begin with my least favourite type of game…

 

…Movie tie-ins.

 

I’ve played quite a few movie titles before, (Enter the Matrix, Blade etc). Some of them were amazing, but most were horrible disappointments, so I understandably went into this game with very low expectations.

 

I would love to tell you all that I was surprised and Fantastic four turned out to be the best thing I’d ever played (I really like Marvel.) However, unfortunately I would be lying, for this game was painfully average.

 

First up a very quick summary of the story-line for those of us who haven’t seen the film. The silver surfer has come to earth as a herald for our planets destruction, he is soaking the world in cosmic energy to allow Galactus (the devourer of worlds) to come forth and much up our planet.

 

It’s now up to you and the rest of the fantastic four to stop him and save the day…

 

Throughout most of the campaign you will play as one of the members of the Fantastic Four. You can choose between The Thing, The Human Torch, Invisible Woman or Mr fantastic. If you wanted to you could also bring in up to three buddies to play with you as the game is co-op, the co-op all works on the same screen so like all same-screen co-ops it’s a confusing mess. It isn’t something I’d subject my friends to, but then I like my friends.

 

The actual levels where you are part of the team are really, really poorly designed and very linear even though you do require to use all characters at least once in the game, throughout you’ll regularly get a feeling of deja’vu. It has a very simple pattern, the more you play the more you’ll begin to notice it. Cutscene, go through a door, fight hordes of exactly the same looking bad guys, activate a button(s), activate an elevator(s), move on, more cutscenes, rinse and repeat until you get to a sub-boss or mini-game, kill him or fumble through and return to the previous formula.

 

There are also a few flying mini-game sections which I would assume were put in to break up the monotony of the elevator formula. but these are somehow far, far more tedious than even that. You play as Johnny and spend up to ten minutes flying through exactly the same two sections of tunnel over and over again until you have finally caught up with whatever you’re chasing.

 

The final type of section happens once for each character (with the exception of johnny, who has the mini-games.) You have to solo for a few minutes. The characters end up being pitched against enemies that they are entirely ineffective against and will knock you flat and stamp on you, pretty much taking all of your life away.

 

The game play is really underwhelming, it’s almost impossible to die even on fantastic difficulty as your characters will revive themselves within a few seconds, rendering the difficulties useless (unless in solo section). Although If you do die as your main, just move to a different one and go hide until he’s back.

 

Everyone except Ben is under-powered with pretty much useless powers, the ones that are useful are almost impossible to aim so they never hit their target anyway. playing with Ben however well make you almost invincible as almost nothing except the bosses can actually hope to down him. the higher up his levels go the less skill required to play since why us skill when button bashing works so much better?

 

The boss fights themselves are pointless, they feel more like puzzles than actual battles. you go in expecting a epic battle versus a supervillian and end up having to arrange lasers. Not quite what I had in mind when I picked up an action game.

 

The graphics aren’t spectacular although they aren’t awful. they are pretty much average. Though as the cut-scenes load up you’ll quite often see the details slowly appear on the character.

 

The game actually has collectibles and extras which are made nigh on impossible to locate because of the repeating backgrounds, they also feel as though they were added as an afterthought since most are directly in the open.

 

The extra’s add some cool concept art and the ability to watch the cutscenes again but nothing too special.
The achievements for this game are pretty easy to obtain and most will unlock within the first playthrough, though you will have to go twice if you want to get 1000G. And once you’ve done them it really doesn’t feel as if you’ve achieved anything.

 

However on the plus side, lest this become just one long compliant. the controls are relatively simple to work with and master. The powers are varied albeit they’re a bit lacklustre. The cutscenes are quite well animated and contain a lot of the same humour as the films, though that’s probably because they are ripped straight from the films. they game loads quite quickly so you’ll have no issue getting into the ‘action’, and experience was plentiful so my characters could rise in level pretty quickly.

 

To summarize   This game plays rather poor movie tie-in which plays much like Marvel alliance except with a lot less variety and fun. it does require a previous knowledge of the fantastic four as it will often give you a name but never tell you which character to select. There are much better comic book games out there (the Punisher for PS2 springs to mind). Depending on what you’re playing it for depends on if it’s worth it. If you’re looking for quick easy gamerscore then go of it. if you’re looking for a fun co-op to waste an afternoon with your mates, don’t bother. Even though it’s only a fiver it’s not worth it, it really does belong where I found it: the bargain bin or for that matter any bin.

Tcio123

If you want me to review anything in particular just message me on the forums, (Tcio123) or through Xbox live (Nomstuff) If I have it then I will review it, if not then I’m afraid I can’t help you.

©2013, Nomstuff, Nomsheep, Tcio123, All content is my own.

Stronghold Kingdoms, Freebie review.

Posted by Robert James on 23/01/2013 – 8:49 am
Filed under General, PC
Tagged as , , , ,

In recent months Firefly has finished their game Stronghold kingdoms, an MMO with a twist. In the game you start with a single village, in a county of your choosing, and rise to power in what ever way you see fit. So how does this game compare to the cult legacy of the stronghold franchise? And in what way does it set itself apart from the rest?
When starting a game of Stronghold Kingdoms you are first required to choose a server to join, you can play on multiple servers but only boosts you pay for carry over. things carry over. I decided to join ‘world 6′, and I was soon greeted with a map of Great Britain and Ireland, even the Isle of Mann was there, being from Northern Ireland myself I thought it was only right to go for Ireland, only to realise that I could not start in my native northern counties, and my other start options were in the south of England and in Scotland, so to Mayo in the west of Ireland I go, I land in a lovely little place called “Bellavary” and instantly wonder if this is actually a real place, turns out after a quick google that it is ( well Ballyvary but props for trying at least) and I instantly feel all happy knowing that eventually all the little villages that I grew up around would also be on this map, I’m liking this already.

I just never stopped, addictive yet rage inducing.

I just never stopped, addictive yet rage inducing.


I decided that in a game like stronghold kingdoms you have to give a few days for it to really get going, I also had some house-mates playing along ( two started before me, two after me) and we quickly realised that this was a game on the wrong platform. The mouse heavy game play and the fact that it has no RTS elements left from the Stronghold main series, you simply place and queue up buildings and research, leave it up in the background and go back to the social network of your choice, this is an iOS game, only it’s not, you cannot get this on any iOS or android platform, it currently only runs on windows only. I find this incredibly odd because not only do the game play mechanics strongly suit the mobile market, but so do the micro purchases.
Stronghold kingdoms is free to play, however, like all free to play games it needs to make money somewhere, it does this through allowing you to directly buy a currency called ‘Crowns’ you buy in staggered amounts with ( British pounds sterling) £3.22 buying you 60 crowns and £102.99 buying you 3150 crowns, you then spend these crowns on two different things, one of which is fine and simply allows you to be more lazy and the other allows you to ‘pay to win’. Premium tokens and Card packs are what you buy with your fake money, premium tokens allow you to stack buildings and research, meaning that you don’t have to come back on every couple of hours, It can automatically scout resources or sell excess, it can even train your peasants into troops while they show up and while you sleep, This is what I expect from a game like this, tokens that allow you to be a bit more lax and lazy in your approach, but don’t break the game, you don’t generate resources faster or gain more research points, just an extra couple of hours away. Card packs however are something infuriating to the extreme, unsurprisingly they give you cards, you can play them at any time without cost or limit, you can only buy packs and they cost between 8 to 10 crowns each, while some give you more resources and some extra troops, some make armies move 20 times as fast and some mean that you gain extra resources, they can seriously unbalance the game to the point where players who do not buy cards are just incapable of keeping up. Firefly tries to balance this by giving everyone cards slowly, however this also relies on buying crowns to get the most possible, when your check and balance need to be balanced you have yourself a pricing problem.
But then why is the game still going, bad pricing like this would punish most games and balance issues would cause rage quits everywhere, but they don’t, heck I’m complaining but I still have it up in the background even as I write this article. Why? The answer lies in in people, and how much we all love to screw each other over.
War, horrible yet so very colourful.

War, horrible yet so very colourful.


Shortly after starting I was contacted by the owner of my ‘parish’ – the market town to which my tiny village belonged- he made me his friend and we came to talking, he was a nice guy that provided me with troops to defend my tiny castle and stone to build my markets. Everything remained peaceful in Ireland until one day the English did what they are known to do in Ireland, invading and destroying every village that they find only to replace them with there own. Next thing I know me and my friends in our little faction are caught up in a storm and are about to be stomped. Only we aren’t, we survive. How? Well in stronghold Kingdoms you can do anything. Merchant, Mercenary and Monk they all have there roles, but I found my play style very different. I’m the spy, and my goodness is it fun! While we sit there in our tiny faction “feeding” the larger factions with resources and armies, I’m sending attack plans to there enemies. The best part is that no one suspects a thing, and why would they, being a spy is something that anyone can do, you don’t need to research the ability to message another player, and honestly, I’m just a little person with lots of monks and merchants why am I a danger? The game may be as unfair as a game at a carnival, but really that just makes it all the more enjoyable, when a peasant wipes out a knight because of my correctly relayed info I know that I’m making a direct change in the game, and that is something that you don’t see on many MMO’s let alone one so simple and easy to get into.
To conclude Stronghold Kingdoms is an unbalanced game with pay to win incorporated, It revolves around people being mean and aggressive, and it is so incredibly unique in how it evolves it’s own set of politics on every world I still think it’s worth a look. They have recently launched their English speaking world 7, The game is free, interesting, and challenging. I would recommend downloading it from their site, or Steam just to give it a go. This is a game for me but it won’t be for everyone. I guess some people are just not meant to rule.

Rayman 3D

Posted by Retired on 21/02/2012 – 12:51 am
Filed under 3Ds, DS/DSlite
Tagged as , , , , , ,

Rayman 3D

 

An army of Robot Pirates has invaded Rayman’s world and is enslaving its inhabitants. Rayman has been captured and needs to regain his powers and escape the prison ship to save his world.

If you think you’ve heard this one before, it’s because you probably have. Yup, you guessed it. This is Rayman 2: The Great Escape all over again.

Gameplay

Rayman 3D is a port of the Dreamcast version of Rayman 2 and the gameplay is still the same. You can control Rayman by using the circle pad to move around, Y to shoot balls of energy from your fists, B to jump, and B again to activate your helicopter hair. For the most part, these controls work very well.

Swimming, though, takes a little time to get used to. Unlike most 3D platformers, you use X to go toward the surface, A to dive deeper , and the circle pad to move from side to side.The camera is another issue which was common about 12 years ago when Rayman 2 was first released.

There is a good variety in the 21 levels. Most of them are pretty lengthy. Some require sliding down steep slopes, while others require riding on rockets and other strange ways to get from “Point A to Point B”. The only thing unique to Rayman 3D is the added 3D effect and while great at times, it is too inconsistent to justify another release.

Graphics and Sound

Compared to other 3DS games, Rayman 3D has sub-par graphics. The look was not given an upgrade from the Dreamcast version and it certainly shows. Many images like plants and clouds are 2D and there are too many polygons that should have been smoothed out over time.

I found the music to be quite good. It makes good use of instruments like acoustic and electric guitars and there were plenty of memorable and unique tunes. Unique to games other than ports of Rayman 2, of course.

Even the music had problems, though. There were times when the music would inexplicably stop and not restart until you entered another area in the level. This wouldn’t happen often, but it was still annoying.

I thought the voices of the characters were done well. One complaint that some people may have is that the game lacks the voice acting found in the PlayStation 1 and 2 versions. I generally prefer characters speaking gibberish, but that will vary from person to person.

Presentation

The story is more interesting than most other 3D platformers. In this game, you have to fight off Robot Pirates from space who have invaded your world and have enslaved most of the population. I’ll take that over saving a princess for a living.

The game gives you periodic updates on the story through cut scenes on the prison ship. These cut scenes show you game’s main villain, Admiral Razorbeard, as well as the number of slaves aboard. Most cut scenes were well-executed except for when the 3D is turned on. Ghosting, or seeing more than one of an image, is a big issue in this game.

Although the characters are strange, I thought they were relatable and very likable. Some dialogue could have been done better, but the game still has its humorous moments.

Score

Gameplay: 7.0

Graphics: 4.5

Sound: 7.0

Presentation: 6.5

                Overall: 6.8 (not an average)

Rayman 2 was and still is one of my favorite games, but after about ten ports, it just feels old. If you have never played Rayman 2 before, I would recommend at least renting it. If you have played Rayman 2, you should probably pass this one up.

Law & Order: Legacies – Episode 1: Revenge

Posted by Retired on 08/02/2012 – 1:54 am
Filed under iOS games/Android, Multi Platform, PC
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m not a standing fan of Law and Order or any of its spinoffs.  Its long history and familiar premise has never really clicked with me.  In fact, I resorted to Wikipedia research to gain enough insight on the characters and setup to prepare myself for the experience.

That said, the experience itself wasn’t half bad.  I feel like I haven’t been giving the franchise enough credit.  Telltale’s expertise in modifying series for new audiences continues to shine through its tried-and-true design, though there are cracks in the presentation that seek to undo their progress.

Gameplay

First and foremost, the factor that could make or break a product.  The game’s layout is, at first glance, a stripped down version of traditional point ‘n click conventions: options or objects appear on screen, you click to interact with them. It’s nothing revolutionary.

So, Telltale decided to use Law & Order‘s premise to freshen up their approach.  For most of the episode, you will follow Detectives Benson and Curtis around as they try to investigate a murder.  This will involve one classic point ‘n click moment to gain evidence, and several interviews/interrogations that involves the player choosing what questions to ask, based on several topics laid out in a simple, yet functional menu of sorts.

During the interview, there will be several points where you will have to determine whether the interviewee is being truthful and then back up your claim with past statements that are recorded in a handy notebook in the top left corner of the screen.  Details are the key: remember one person’s side remark, and you’ll advance further.

The last 30-40 minutes of the episode (bringing play time to about 3-4 hours) are definitely the most different from genre tropes, as you take the role of attorneys Carmichael and Cutter as they attempt to close the case.  This was, admittedly, the more entertaining part, as you can object in a number of ways to people’s claims and can manipulate the jury into siding with you.

The whole system is governed by stars (or jury support), which you earn by successfully confirming or disproving a statement or by finding “red herring” topics strewn throughout the interviews.  It’s a good incentive to go back and retry certain interviews if you didn’t get the result you wanted.

Overall, I found the changes and removed features refreshing.  This game was focused on one thing: telling an interesting story. It wasn’t saddled with unneeded controls or gameplay mechanics and it profited from being so refined.

Story

Since the focus is storytelling in this endeavor, there has to be something said about a game that provides the perspectives of both detective and prosecutor.  It’s a typical murder investigation, filled with the appropriate amounts of intrigue and conspiracy, but it manages to fit the mould set by its peers and its namesake.

The setup is simple: a maid is killed under mysterious circumstances.  Connections to a media conglomerate, an anarchist hacker youth, and a Russian businessman lead to some interesting plot twists, some of which are expected, some come out of left field, but all manage to fit into the overarching plot.

There’s also plenty of references to old characters and events, including one that leaves the episode on a bit of a cliffhanger, for long-standing fans of the series.  I may not get the references, but I appreciate them: it shows that this series has its own lore, its own universe and history.

Presentation

Here is where I’m on the fence.  On one hand, the simplified nature of the graphics, to the point where backgrounds are flat and character models are simple, does have that familiar “Telltale style” (thanks to the continuing use of their in-house engine) and it does sort of fit with that “refined” angle.  However, looking at the glass half-empty, the technical design does not do the franchise justice.

To be honest, it’s a matter of perspective.  I found that the character models were a bit hard to interpret during investigations, the locations felt surreal and almost painting-like and there isn’t a whole lot of graphical flair.  It wasn’t necessarily horrible, just not outstanding.

Credit has to be given to sound design, though.  The familiar Law & Order theme plays during the opening and ending credits, and the voice actors play their roles excellently.  I can’t say for certain if the actors from the series voice their in-game counterparts, but regardless the actors involved gave a believable performance.

Conclusion

Taken as a new chapter in the L&O universe, it works well both as fan service and as an introduction to new followers.  Its gameplay is the most refined that the experts at Telltale could make it, its voice actors are some of the most impressive I’ve heard and the investigation keeps you guessing.

It’s got rough edges, and it’s probably not winning any beauty contests, but if you’re looking for a truly worthwhile mystery, Telltale has you covered.

Gameplay: 8.5

Story: 8.0

Presentation: 6.5

SCORE: 8.0

Assassin’s Creed

Posted by Retired on 08/01/2012 – 7:52 am
Filed under Multi Platform, PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

With the New Year in motion, and after buying a Xbox 360 seven years after its release, I felt like reviewing something unexpected to start off my desire to write this year. Though it took some deliberating, I eventually decided to go with the underdog, the game that was hyped to no end but which was generally seen as failing on deliver on all that it promised.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, here is my take on Assassin’s Creed.

 Gameplay

For those not savy to Assassins or video gaming in general, Assassin’s Creed is an action-adventure game with elements of stealth and platforming integral to the gameplay. Though the process by which it occurs makes sense in the context of the story, players take the role of Altair ibn-La’Ahad, a Master Assassin who is reduced to the rank of novice and must now prove his worth to regain his honour and his rank.

 

Being an Assassin has many perks, like being able to use throwing knives, a sword and a hidden wrist blade in combat and being able to climb virtually any part of any surface. The player will travel from the Assassin fortress of Masyaf, through a “hub-world” of sorts, to three carefully recreated Middle Eastern cities (Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem) in search of nine important targets, to whom you must do what Assassins do best – assassinate.

Actually, the assassination missions are high points of the game, as they put you in interesting situations and force you to rely on careful timing and specific tactics. The body of the game has you undertaking smaller, more repetitive missions (more like “tasks” than missions, actually) to gain intel on the targets, which run the range of eavesdropping on a conversation, pickpocketing civilians for key information and maps detailing enemy locations, interrogating particularly out-spoken citizens, and assisting fellow Assassins to gather flags or assassinate suspicious guards.

I personally didn’t feel the repetitive nature of the tasks to be too grating, but given the slim variety I can understand why someone else might. On the plus side, the game’s take on parkour, which turns climbing into a challenge all its own, keeps things interesting. Any edge, any window, any ornament or significant part of a wall that looks like it can be grabbed can usually be grabbed. It’s also fun to go sprinting along the rooftops, holding down the right trigger and A button (or equivalent for PC & PS3) to send Altair off the edge of the building he’s on to make a seemingly-impossible leap across a street to the next building.

The game controls well, even in combat, which seems clunky and rigid at first but will get easier to handle once you understand the flow of a battle and get used to quickly switching between guarding and striking. The counter-kills Altair performs are pretty cool, as are his assassination animations, though his prowess is aided by persistent yet somewhat lacking A.I. Example: if you run at an archer on a rooftop while facing him, he will delay for about 5 seconds to declare, “You’re not supposed to be-”, allowing the player to pounce and promptly end the guard’s scripted life. Guards are also eager to give chase and rush into battle quickly, which is respectably dedicated at best and idiotic at worst.

As for lasting value, there are flags scattered throughout the cities that earn you Achievements/Trophies, but experiencing the story will take up most of your time in the game. Granted, it’s an intriguing story with large emphasis on historical events and conspiracy, but if you’re looking for more than just cool parkour, surprisingly fluid combat and intriguing plot devices, Assassin’s Creed comes up a bit short.

Story

Luckily, those plot devices can keep your attention if you are patient. The game intially puts you in the shoes of Desmond Miles, a modern-day bartender who’s been kidnapped by the Abstergo Corporation to aid in their research. Using the Animus, a virtual simulation device that brings to mind The Matrix, Abstergo intends to scour the memories of Altair, Desmond’s distant ancestor, which are encoded in his DNA, in search of…something.

 

The other half of this tale is just as intriguing, as players will experience the trials and tribulations of Altair, who has recently defied the Assassins Order and is obliged to help his mentor Al-Mualim hunt down nine key Templar leaders (the Templars being the Illuminati-esque, power-mongering rivals of the Assassins) to regain his title of Master Assassin and “find peace”, as Al-Mualim might say. It’s your standard “fight to regain honour” quest, but it’s engaging enough to keep your attention, what with the assassinations and cameos by famous Crusade-era figures.

Out of the two timelines, the present day events seem like footnotes. Desmond’s predicament of being held by a mysterious organization is worthy of sympathy, particularly when one learns of Abstergo’s true allegiance, but it seems very sterile and subdued…until the ending, which will be equal parts interesting and frustrating for the player, a la Halo 2. Let me put it this way: this ending pretty much guarantees an sequel, just to understand what the hell just happened.

Presentation

If there are flaws in the narrative and gameplay, then the presentation mostly makes up for it. The scale when staring at each of the aforemention cities is immense, as is the historical accuracy. I’m no historian, but I’d guess from what knowledge I have that for the most part, each of the cities match their real-life counterparts of the time. Every building is covered in details, the environments are lush and beautiful and the atmosphere is tense with the conflict of the era.

 

Sound design also plays into this, though not quite as well. The performances from supporting characters and random civilians fit well with the time and are well-acted, though you’ll hear repetition of similar dialogue from the latter throughout the game. Altair’s accent, or lack thereof in this case, stands out in a bit of an awkward way: it’s not that he’s uninteresting or portrayed with little emotion, it’s more that he speaks in a rather flat, casual manner.

It’s not a major complaint, more a nitpick, compared to the noticeable lack of atmospheric music most of the time. There are moments in the game when the soundtrack fits with the poignant nature of the background, like standing outside of Jerusalem and taking in the sights, but for the most part things are quiet for Altair…besides guards shouting at him as he flees, civilians pleading for help and assassination target gasping in their final moments.

Conclusion

I said at the beginning of this review that this game was an underdog, but not out of lack of support. Rather, it fell behind its cousins in the genre because it was masterful in some aspects of gameplay, presentation and storytelling, but was unable to make good on its promises entirely. That said, in the context of starting a franchise from scratch, this games certainly provided the blueprint for future masterpieces (Ubisoft’s equivalent of Portal, as it were). For that fact alone, this game deserves a moment in the spotlight.

Score: 8

If you’re patient, dedicated and open to new experiences, this is a game worth spending money on.  It’s not for everyone, but fans and the open-minded of us will certainly find something to enjoy.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Posted by Retired on 18/12/2011 – 11:26 pm
Filed under retro
Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

As 2011 passes for the Zelda franchise, it will be remembered for a number of reasons, namely the long-awaited release of Skyward Sword and the 3DS remake of the classic Ocarina of Time.  For me, though, 2011 brought the concept of flea markets, with all their nostalgic appeal, into the spotlight.

Some of my prized retro possessions I gained this year include Metal Gear Solid, the N64, a still-working 3DO with Dragon’s Lair…and what is universally considered the immortal Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64.  We all know of Ocarina of Time‘s reputation as the “highest rated game of all time”.  The question is, does it still deserve that title, after over a decade and multiple re-releases?

Gameplay

First things first, for those who haven’t ever played Ocarina of Time in their lives (a terrifying thought) or who haven’t played it in a decade or more (like me), here are the basics:  Ocarina of Time is a 3D action-adventure game where you, acting as the silent hero Link, travel across the fantasy land of Hyrule, undertake many sidequests for many interesting characters, hunt for special items and treasure, and defend the land from evil.


I’ve heard this game referred to as a “walking patent office”, and I agree.  Name a modern convention of action-adventure games, be it a lock-on mechanic during combat or shifting day-night cycles, and it links back to Ocarina of Time.  This game also features the removal of certain other abilities, such as jumping, and compressing all interaction functions to the N64′s A-button, but it doesn’t detract from gameplay.  If anything, it enhances the gameplay ten-fold: players can worry less about how to do something and more about what they want to do.

Speaking of what to do, there’s plenty of content to keep you going.  The main quest will take a good chunk of time, but there are collectables like Gold Skulltulas and Heart Containers to be found, the former of which provide players with useful items in a certain quest and the latter increases the player’s health for every 4 found.  Every dungeon is full of enemy to fight and treasures to uncover, every town and village has a wide range of interesting characters with tasks for players, and there are even minigames to simply mess around with, like fishing and a musical game with Skull Kids.

Story

Now, to the actual plot.  Without giving away every aspect of the magical experience that Nintendo expertly crafted, suffice to say Link is destined to once again save Hyrule and the eponymous Princess Zelda from his long-standing foe, Ganondorf.  The story is simple in theory, but in execution, it’s an endearing tale of loyalty and courage as Link faces conflict after conflict in his quest to thwart the evil that is Ganondorf’s desire for world domination (typical of manical villains with such creepy demeanors).

This game also introduced, or brought into the mainstream, the idea of cinematic gameplay, where the player would become invested in the game world while experiencing a thrilling, action-driven story.  There are twist and turns in the tale, with time travel playing a factor in the form of the titular, playable Ocarina of Time (not to spoil it, but it’s important), and it manages to engage and entertain to its conclusion.

Presentation

Finally, the presentation of this package.  Yes, there is a noticeable difference in graphics and sound between this and Crysis, that was to be expected, but this game is about more than just outer beauty.  The shallowness of modern society floods out of you the moment you truly stop and take in this game’s massive scale.

Imagine, for a moment, that you playing this game and are standing in a field and you see a mountain in the distance.  When you eventually reach this mountain and climb to its peak, and you look out and see that very field where you once stood mere hours ago, it hits you: that this game isn’t just a great game, it’s a masterpiece that defines masterpieces.  It’s a message to the world, not just gamers, that gaming is an expression of emotion and soul, a true art-form.  Every area you travel to, including that very mountain, has its own sense of scale and emotion, with a wide palette of colours and light that fits each and every one.


As for sound, Ocarina of Time trades speaking characters for a truly moving soundtrack and well-implemented atmospheric effects.  Every instrumental blends perfectly with its associated area, truly immersing the player further into the experience. The weather and other sounds are commendable and Link’s grunts are simple but likeable.

Six years ago, Roger Ebert began his “Video Games aren’t Art” speeches, preaching that an interactive experience, no matter how popular, could never achieve the greatness of its cousins in film, literature and television.  That is a complete and utter lie.

If there was any game that could act as the ultimate rebuttal for this, Ocarina of Time would surpass even that game.  Its massive variety of quests, its simply elegant storytelling, its well-crafted items and control system, and its awe-inspiring scale and atmosphere ensure that it is, almost unanimously, the single greatest achievement in this industry’s long history.

Play it on the 3DS or the Wii if you must, but if you truly believe that videogames are so much more than sheer entertainment, this is essential for anyone labelled a gamer.  This is a game for the ages.  This is…Zelda.

Score: 10

Very rarely will I ever give so much praise to a video game.  But this is so much more than a game, it’s an experience that defines the essence of gaming.  It will challenge and entertain you to no end.  This is a true classic and I would recommend it without a doubt.

 

Borderlands

Posted by Retired on 25/11/2011 – 2:32 am
Filed under Multi Platform, PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In a year when gaming was at its best, with classics in the making and the appearance and reappearance of great developers, people believed that they had seen everything.

Then Borderlands arrived. A callback to a time when shooters were truly challenging, this game had everyone who played it sucked into its immense, deadly world for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. But does that mean it’s any good?

Evidence shows that, yes, it is.

The game is a blend of first-person shooter and role-playing game, with a bit more emphasis on the latter than some hardcore shooter fans may appreciate. However, the major draw here is the endless loot.

Yes, this game has a Diablo feel to it, as weapons, items, and money can be collected from completing quests, killing enemies or searching the vast desert plain that is Pandora, the setting of the game. It can be addicting to players, spending just one more hour trying to find that awesome gun…and then it’s 5 in the morning.

 

Visually, the game is stunning, rendered in a cell-animated style not unlike that of a comic book. The sheer beauty of the terrain is only matched by the bloody, uncensored nature of the combat, which is deeply affected by the massive number of useable weapons.

Most games have around ten to twenty weapons available to the player, excluding vehicles and special powers. Not only does Borderlands include Death Race-style 4-wheelers, the ability to choose between four specialized classes, and upgradable powers and stats, but it also features an enormous weapons randomizer, capable of creating thousands of different weapons, ranging from shotguns to SMGs to sniper rifles.

All the weapons in the world won’t matter if the game is unbalanced or dull. Luckily, Borderlands hits the right balance between accessibility and challenge. While I won’t say the game is easy, the shooting and aiming mechanics are solid, allowing for first-time players to adapt fairly well. The straining combat is made much more rewarding by the fairly wide variety of enemies and the wider range of ways to kill them.

So that’s the good news. However, with every game, there are some minor flaws that should be addressed. First, the plot is simple, paper-thin and simply uninteresting, which may irritate some story-centric gamers. Second, for those hardcore fans who expect to have a wide range of customization options, the game limits you to changing the name and colour scheme of the chosen character. Finally, the difficulty of combat and the occasional level grinding may turn off some more casual players.

Looking at this game, I see spots where there is potential for greatness that wasn’t achieved here. Borderlands is an amazing game with well-crafted shooter mechanics, a large and beautiful open world, a soundtrack that boosts the intensity of the action and genuinely funny dialogue from the cast. It stands as a reminder that games were once praised for being tough yet rewarding, and are still able to earn that praise today.

Score: 8.5

It’s not a perfect game, but it is packed with content and the pure goodness of games past. This is recommended for anyone craving action…or loot.